“The location has a magnificent stretch of seven-miles of golden sand for you, family and friends to enjoy”
Although the sunny weather took a bit of a back seat this week, we have high hopes that it will join us again this summer.
With the kids off school and the Bank Holiday weekend coming up, you may be hoping to plan a fun day out for the whole family to enjoy.
A new study from The AA has revealed the “best beach in the region” for those packing the bucket and spades into the car this summer.
Their experts analysed average Google review scores, daily car parking costs, lifeguard services, RNLI lifeboat station proximity, average water temperature and monthly hours of sunshine across 228 Blue Flag awarded beaches in the UK and Ireland to find the best of the best.
Data revealed Benone Beach in Co Derry as the top in Northern Ireland for 2026, remarking it for its “golden sand” and proximity to other great beaches and landmarks.
The AA said: “Located on the Causeway Coast, Benone Beach is the best beach in Northern Ireland and ranks 139th out of the 228 beaches scored.
“The location has a magnificent stretch of seven-miles of golden sand for you, family and friends to enjoy.
“If you want to make a day of it, take the six mile walk to Mussenden Temple to do some sightseeing or throw yourself in the deep end with some water sport activities.
“You can even try a seven mile beach crawl – if you keep walking along the unbroken coastline you can also visit Downhill and Magilligan beaches.”
See the full list of top beaches here
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